Create documentation comments
Last modified: 19 September 2022Creating documentation comments for Python functions
To create documentation comment for a Python function
Place the caret after the declaration of a function you want to document.
Type opening triple quotes, and press Enter, or Space.
Add meaningful description of parameters and return values.
tip
Mind the following:
Generation of docstrings on pressing Space after typing opening triple quotes only works when the checkbox Insert pair quote is cleared in the page Smart Keys of the editor settings.
If you rename a parameter of a function, PyCharm will correspondingly update the tag in documentation comment.
To create documentation comment for a Python function using intention action
Place the caret somewhere within the function you want to document.
Press Alt+Enter to show the available intention actions.
Choose Insert documentation string stub:
PyCharm generates documentation comment stub according to docstring format, selected in the Python Integrated Tools page.
Example of Python comment
Consider the following function:
def handle(self, myParam1, myParam2):
Open settings Ctrl+Alt+S and navigate to Tools | Python Integrated Tools.
In the Docstring format dropdown, select Epytext:

Then type the opening triple quotes and press Enter or Space. PyCharm generates a documentation comment stub in Epytext format:
'''
@param self:
@param myParam1:
@param myParam2:
@return:
'''
Go back to the Python Integrated Tools page in settings (Ctrl+Alt+S) and switch Docstring format to reStructuredText. Then type the opening triple quotes and press Enter or Space. PyCharm generates a documentation comment stub in reStructuredText format:
'''
:param self:
:param myParam1:
:param myParam2:
:return:
'''
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